Conservation Collaboration
Base W, Detaille Island. ©UKAHT/Lizzie Meek
The Trust’s conservation team had a successful season working collaboratively alongside our partner UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT), with significant strides made in conserving and maintaining two of their historic sites on the Antarctic Peninsula. Al Fastier, Trust Conservation Advisor, and Lizzie Meek, Trust Collections Conservation Manager, played pivotal roles in this endeavour, contributing their expertise to various projects aimed at safeguarding Antarctic heritage.
Al Fastier was based at Port Lockroy, which celebrated its 80th birthday in February 2024. Working alongside UKAHT conservation carpenter Pete Townsend, Al dedicated a month to conducting critical structural repairs to the roof of Base A, also known as Bransfield House. The historic Base A was built at Port Lockroy in 1944 as part of ‘Operation Tabarin’, a secret war time operation to establish a permanently occupied British base in Antarctica.
Al’s focus on repairing the damaged truss in the Base A bunkroom, along with other subfloor structural work, will help protect this historic building against snow loading and the harsh Antarctic elements. Al also played a mentoring role, helping develop the heritage carpentry skills of colleague Pete, to build the UKAHT conservation team’s capacity to carry out their long-term conservation programme.
Pete Townsend and Al Fastier (right) inside Base A. ©UKAHT/Laura Büllesbach
Meanwhile, Lizzie Meek undertook a three-week assignment at Detaille Island, where she played a key role in assessing and cataloguing the artefact collection. Established in 1956, the Detaille Island hut, known as Base W, was used for scientific purposes during the International Geophysical Year in 1957. However, operations ceased abruptly in early 1959 when sea ice conditions prevented critical winter supplies reaching base. The base team and their dogs sledged for 30 miles to make an emergency evacuation, leaving the hut and artefacts inside as a time capsule of 1950s Antarctic life.
Lizzie Meek, cataloguing artefacts on Detaille Island. ©UKAHT/Sophie Rowe
Together with a team of experts from UKAHT, including Head of Conservation Ruth Mullett and Conservator Sophie Rowe, Lizzie catalogued a significant portion of the collection while also addressing major mould issues and conducting hazard identification surveys. The meticulous cataloguing process lays the groundwork for informed conservation decisions to ensure the long-term preservation of the artefacts.
Despite unpredictable weather patterns on site and the logistical challenges in reaching these remote locations, the season was highly productive, paving the way for future conservation efforts. Reflecting on their achievements, Al emphasised the importance of regular monitoring and maintenance to protect historic bases like Port Lockroy and Detaille Island from decay and disrepair:
“Like our homes, which need regular maintenance, so do historic buildings. This requirement is amplified in Antarctica due to extreme weather including cold temperatures, gale force winds and snow accumulation. It is critical that these historic buildings are inspected and maintained on a regular basis to protect both the structures and the artefacts they contain.”
The dedication and expertise of the Trust’s team, combined with the collaborative spirit of the partnership with UKAHT, underscores a shared commitment to safeguarding Antarctica’s rich heritage for future generations.
